How to Get Lift-Off

'We weren't getting lift-off,' Bono tells NME. 'If you'd seen the rehearsal show, you wouldn't believe we would get to San Diego.'

In the run-up to the tour, Bono tells NME.Com, the band were anxious that things wouldn't come together in time for the opening night.

'It's still a strange feeling. We were sick with the rehearsals for this tour. We weren't getting lift-off. If you'd seen the rehearsal show, you wouldn't believe we would get to San Diego.

'You take all these different elements and try to create something special. And when we got up there, we were lucky and we got it straight away. But, you know, this is a tour we didn't even know was going to happen. There were many obstacles - there were personal problems and big things to get through so it's amazing to me we got there at all. We didn't have much time to rehearse but we wanted to play. I still saw a band with a lot to prove but I also saw a band the most comfortable they have ever been in their skin."

Bono also explained why the Vertigo setlist included so many songs from the band's debut album 'Boy', such as 'Electric Company' and 'An Cat Dubh': 'There is a strong link between those songs and the new album. The first was an ode to innocence and the new one is innocence regained. The first album is becoming a bit of a cult classic for bands like The Killers who talk about it. We thought it was time.'